China's crematoriums 'packed' as COVID-19 cases soar
The Hindu
The United States has warned the outbreak is now of concern to the rest of the world, given the potential for further mutations and the size of China's economy
Crematoriums across China are straining to deal with an influx of bodies as the country battles a wave of COVID-19 cases that authorities have said is impossible to track.
Cases are soaring across China, with hospitals struggling and pharmacy shelves stripped bare in the wake of the government's sudden decision to lift years of lockdowns, quarantines and mass testing.
The United States has warned the outbreak is now of concern to the rest of the world, given the potential for further mutations and the size of China's economy.
From the country's northeast to its southwest, crematorium workers told AFP they are struggling to keep up with a surge in deaths.
In Chongqing – a city of 30 million where authorities this week urged people with mild COVID-19 symptoms to go to work – one worker told AFP their crematorium had run out of space to keep bodies.
"The number of bodies picked up in recent days is many times more than previously," a staffer who did not give their name said.